Cherry Picker Heist: How Thieves Stole Crown Jewels

Thieves brazenly looted $102 million in French Crown Jewels from the Louvre in broad daylight, exposing catastrophic security failures that low-tech criminals exploited amid government neglect and misplaced priorities.

Story Snapshot

In October 2025, disguised thieves used a cherry picker to smash into the Apollo Gallery, stealing eight priceless jewels in just seven minutes during open hours.
Outdated systems, a laughably simple “Louvre” surveillance password, and understaffed monitoring allowed the heist despite alarms and cameras functioning.
Ongoing renovations and scaffolding blinded guards, who prioritized visitor safety over artifacts—a classic case of bureaucracy favoring access over protection.
Post-heist, the Louvre rushed to install window security bars, while Paris pledged funding for AI, biometrics, and more personnel after years of ignored warnings.

The Daring Daytime Heist

Thieves struck the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery in October 2025 during public hours. Dressed as maintenance workers, they drove a truck-mounted cherry picker to a second-floor window, smashed display cases, and grabbed eight French Crown Jewels worth $102 million, including the Hortensia diamond. They escaped in seven minutes. Guards focused on protecting visitors, not artifacts, highlighting misplaced priorities in a taxpayer-funded institution.

Alarms triggered and cameras recorded the breach, but perimeter weaknesses proved fatal. A pre-heist audit by Van Cleef & Arpels flagged vulnerabilities, yet officials underinvested. Labor unions warned of risks from renovations and scaffolding, which obscured suspicious activity and flooded the site with workers.

Security Failures Exposed

The Louvre’s surveillance system used the password “Louvre,” a glaring flaw uncovered in the aftermath. Despite exterior cameras and motion detectors, a third of the Denon Wing rooms lacked CCTV. Understaffed monitoring left officers overwhelmed by feeds. Thieves bypassed sensors with low-tech tactics, proving high-tech alone fails without human vigilance and basic competence.

Historical precedents like the 1911 Mona Lisa theft and 1998 Apollo Gallery attempt refined protocols, but 2025 marked the first major loss in decades. Director Des Cars admitted perimeter underinvestment, while unions like veteran Julien Dunoyer blamed construction chaos for blurring legitimate access. Guards’ duty to crowds diluted artifact protection.

Post-Heist Response and Upgrades

The Louvre installed security bars on vulnerable windows by late 2025. Paris Government pledged funds for more personnel, AI facial recognition, biometric controls, additional cameras, police cooperation, and a cybersecurity center. Investigations probe organized interference, with no arrests or recoveries reported. Focus shifts to high-value zones like Apollo Gallery.

Short-term measures include gallery closures and stricter visitor screening with metal detectors. Long-term changes rewrite protocols, balancing construction with security and emphasizing patrols over automation. Economic strain hits from the $102 million loss, eroding trust in an icon reliant on tourism revenue.

Lessons for Common Sense Security

Experts like Northeastern’s Hanor called the daytime timing “clever,” as it forced guards to prioritize visitors. Louvre veteran Dunoyer noted worker influxes hindered spotting intruders. A Le Monde op-ed observed museums favor public access over security. Skeptics warn human factors like staffing remain weak spots despite tech upgrades.

This heist underscores government overreach pitfalls: prioritizing “welcoming the public” over safeguarding heritage invites disaster. Just as President Trump’s administration cut wasteful spending to protect American assets, France must reject bureaucratic excuses for real defenses. Museums worldwide now eye hybrid low-tech/high-tech models with more audits.